Switch operating and locking mechanism.



No. 818,651. PATENTED APR. 24, 1906v A. ANDERSON. SWITCH OPERATING AND LOOKING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10,1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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No. 818,651. PATENTED APR. 24, 1906. A. ANDERSON.

SWITCH OPERATING AND LOOKING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY '10,1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

(June/Mm. A, A 7Z6ZQI'607I,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED ANDERSON, OF DETROIT CITY, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH TO ASAHEL G. WEDGE, ONE-FOURTH TO HALVOR RASMUSSON, ONE-FOURTH TO PETER K. HASLERUD, ALL OF DETROIT CITY, MINNE- SOTA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 24, 1906.

Application filed July 10,1905- Serial No. 269,051.

.To all w/wm, it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit City, in the county of Becker and State of Winnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch Operating and Locking Mechanism, of which the follow ing is a specification.

This invention embodies novel operating mechanism for switches and special locking means therefor.

The object of the invention is to secure a switch mechanism having simple and sub stantial operating means for so locking the switch after it has been once set as to obviate likelihood of tampering therewith by unauthorized persons or of the switch parts getting out of proper position, due to jar, vibration, or any similar cause.

For a'full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and ac- 2 5 companying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view showing a switch and operating and locking means therefor embodying the invention. Fig. '2 is a section taken about on the line X X of Fig.

0 1 and looking in the direction of the arrow,

the locking mechanism being out of engagement with the switch-bar. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, the locking mechanism coacting with the switch-bar to prevent move 3 5 ment thereof. Fig. at is a transverse section taken on the lineX X of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in 4.0 all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

In the drawings an ordinary form of switch is illustrated, and the numeral 1 indicates the main rails of the track and the numeral 2 the switch-points. The switch-points 2 are operated by a switch-bar 3 in the customary way, said switch-bar being locked from movement when the locking mechanism included in this invention is operatively connected therewith. A rail-plate 4 is substantially secured to the cross-ties of the road-bed or in any similar manner and is arranged upon the outer side of one of the main rails 1. of the track. Said switch-plate is provided with a downwardly-cxtending curved guide member, above which the bar 3 slides. The bar 3 is actuated by a vertical crank-shaft 6, journaled in suitable bearings and at one side of a switch-stand 7. A suitable connectingrod 8 connects the crank 9 of the shaft 6 with the outermost end of the switch-bar Upon the upper end of the switch-stand 7 is mount ed a segment-shaped plate 10, the curved edge portion of which is formed with notches 11, some distance apart. An arm 12 projects laterally from the shaft 6 above the plate 10, being suitably attached to said shaft, and a handle 13 is pivoted to the outer end of the arm 12, as shown at 14. The arm 12 is bifurcated at its outer extremity, the inner end of the handle 13 being received between the bifurcate portions. The handle 13 when arranged in approximate alinement with the arm 12 is moved in a horizontal plane with said arm to actuate the shaft 6 and impart longitudinal movement to the switch-bar By moving the handle 13 downwardly, however, said handle is adapted to be engaged with one of the notches 11 in the plate 10 to thereby interlock with said plate and prevent movement of the switch-bar while said handle is in this position. The notches 1 1 are so located that when the handle 13 engages therein said handle is at either of its limits of movement by which the switch-points are disposed in open or closed positions. To lock the handle 13 in engagement with a notch 11, it is designed that said handle be provided at its inner end with a laterally-projected apere tured lug 15, adapted to pass through a hasplike extension 16, projecting upwardly from the outer end of the arm 12. A suitable lock, such as a padlock 1-7 or the like, may be engaged with the lug 15 after the same has been forced through the extension 16 on downward movement of the handle 13, and the handle will be thereby prevented from being elevated to permit the same to be moved in a horizontal plane for actuating the switch.

To subserve the safety of the switch, auxiliary locking means is provided therefor and is automatically operable by the operating mechanism of the switch, as heretofore set forth. For this purpose a rock-shaft 18 is employed and is arranged at about a right angle to the main rails of the track, being j ournaled in suitable bearing-plates 19. The end of the shaft 18 adjacent the rail-plate 4 has a suitable bearing therein, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1, and the opposite end of said shaft is provided with a crank-arm 20, con

nected by a rod 21 with an end of a lever 22,

pivoted to a side of the plate 10 on the switchstand 7. The lever 22 is pivoted between its ends, as shown at 23, and the end portion opposite that connected with the rod 21 curves upwardly and is provided with laterally-extending guide-arms 24, the outer extremities of which curve outwardly, as shown at 25. The arms 24 project toward the handle 13, by which theswitch-bar is operated, and said arms are so arranged that when the handle 13 by movement in a horizontal plane is forced toward the lever 22 said handle will move into the space between the guide-arms 24 after actuating the switch-bar 3 to close the switch. The handle 13 will now be forced downwardly to engage one of the notches, 11, and in so operating said handle the same engages with the lower guide-arm 24, forcing the lever 22 downwardly, actuating the rod 21, and rotating the rock-shaft 18. The rock-shaft 18 has a locking-arm 26 extending laterally therefrom, so that when it is rotated on the downward movement of the handle 13 this locking-arm is forced into engagement with a vertical arm 27, extending upwardly from the switch-bar 3. The locking-arm 26 is formed with a head which when in engagement with the arm 27 of the switchbar 3 is received between this arm 27 and the outer side of the rail-plate 4, closely fitting in the space between these parts. The handle having been forced downwardly, as above described, is of course locked by the padlock or similar means employed, and the locking-arm 26 is thereby locked in engagement with the switch-bar 3 by that lock means employed to lock the handle 13 in engagement with one of the notches 11.

It will be understood that the auxiliary locking mechanism may be so applied as to lock the switch either open or closed, as desired, the principle of the invention being the essential feature with regard to the operation of the said mechanism. Further, it will be noted that the locking-arm 26 is automatically operated in positioning the handle 13 to engage said handle with the segmentplate 10, and this is of no small importance, as it obviates likelihood of inadvertently omitting to properly lock the switch, due to carelessness on the part of employees or any similar cause.

It will of course be understood that, if desired, the locking mechanism, which is oper able by the switch-operating means, may be duplicated, so that the switch may be locked either open or closed. In this event it would be necessary to provide an additional lockingarm 26 on the rock-shaft 18 to coact with another vertical arm 27 and also duplicate the member 22 and connections between the same and said rock-shaft.

Having thus described the invention, What the switch-bar being initially movable to,

actuate said switch-bar, said operating member being then movable to automatically actuate the lever connected with the rockshaft, whereby the arm on the rock-shaft will be caused to engage the switch-bar.

2. In switch mechanism, the combination of a switch-bar, an operating member therefor, locking mechanism for the switch-bar, and a lever for actuating the locking mechanism and arranged in the path of movement of the operating member aforesaid to be actuated by the same.

3. In switch mechanism, the combination of a switch-bar, a switch-stand, a shaft mounted on said stand and connected with the switch b ar for actuation there of, a notched plate carried by said stand, an arm projected from the shaft aforesaid, a handle pivoted to said arm and movable therewith to actuate the switch-bar, the handle being movable independently of the arm to engage a notch in the late aforesaid, means for locking the hand le in engagement with the plate, locking mechanism for the switch-bar including a rockshaft, a locking-arm projecting from said shaft and adapted to engage the switchbar, a lever connected with the rock-shaft, and a member projected from the lever to be engaged by the handle aforesaid as the latter is moved independently of the arm to which it is pivoted, whereby said lever is automatically operated on such independent movement of the handle.

4. In switch mechanism, the combination of a switch bar and stand, a horizontally swinging operating member connected to said switch-bar and mounted on said stand and rovided with a vertically-swinging handle esigned for locking engagement with the stand when the handle is moved downwardly, and a supplemental locking device including a rock-shaft and a lever operatively connected thereto, said lever being disposed in the path of the handle whereby the latter in its downward movement will actuate the lever and lock the switchbar.

5. In switch mechanism, the combination with a switch bar and stand of an operating member mounted on the stand and movable in one direction to actuate the switch member the said member being prox'ided with a pivoted handle portion movable relatively thereto and designed in its movement for loclging engagement with the stand, and a supplemental locking device, including a lever and guide-arm thereon, said guide-arm being arranged in the path of the movement of the handle with respect to its supporting member whereby said movement of the handle will actuate the movement of the lever.

6. In switch mechanism, the combination with a switch-bar and switch-stand, of a horizontally-movable operating arm or member mounted on the stand and designed to actuate the switch-bar, said bar being provided with a downwardly swinging handle arranged for locking engagement with the stand, and a supplemental locking device, comprising a rock-shaft provided with an arm arranged for connection with the switchr bar to lock the same, and a lever designed to rock said shaft and provided with an arm in the path of the downward movement of the handle, for the purpose specified.

T. In switch mechanism, the combination with a switch-bar and switch-stand, of a horizontallyanovable operating arm or member mounted on the stand and designed to actuate the switch-bar, said arm being provided with a downward ly-swinging handle arranged for locking engagement with the stand, and a supplemental locking device, comprising a rock-shaft provided with an arm arranged for connection with the switch-bar to lock the same, and a lever fulcrumed on the stand and a ranged to rock said shaft and provided with two spaced-apart guide-arms designed to receive said handle between them whereby the downward movement of the handle for locking engagement with the switch-stand will effect the movement of the lever and a l l i l l consequent rocking oi the shaft into engagement with the switch-bar.

S. In switch mechanism, the combination with the switch bar and stand, the latter being provided with a segmental notched plate, of an operating member connected with the switch-bar and mounted on the stand above said plate, said member being provided with a downwardly-swinging handle designed to enter the notches on the plate to thereby lock the parts from movement, and a supplemental locking device consisting of a projection on the switch-bar, a rocking shaft provided with a locking-arm designed to abut against said projection to hold the switch-bar from movement, and a lever fulcrumed on the stand and connected to said shaft, said lever being provided with an arm projecting in the path of said handle and in juxtaposition to one of the notches in the plate whereby the downward movement of the handle for locking engagement of the plate will move said ever.

9. In switch mechanism, the combination with a switch bar and stand, the latter being provided with a segmental notched plate, of an operating member cmmectcd with the switch-bar and mounted on the stand above said plate said member being provided with a downwardly-swinging handle designed to enter the notches to thereby lock the parts from movement, and a supplemental locking device consisting of a projection on the switch bar, a rocking shaft provided with a locking arm designed to (it between said projection and the adjacent portion ol" the track to hold the switch-bar from movement, a lever fulcrumed on the stand and connected to said shaft said lever being provided with an arm projecting in the path of said handle and in juxtaposition to one of the notches in the plate whereby the downward movement of the handle for locking engagement of the plate will move said lever.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED ANDERSON.

\Vitnesscs:

BENJAMIN CASTBERG, LENA SPARBY. 

